Information Commissior Office (UK) publishes guidance on changes to notification fee

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has published a guidance note, which will come into effect on 1 October 2009, on changes to the notification fee system for data controllers under the Data Protection Act 1998. Under the two-tier notification fee system for data controllers due to be introduced under the Data Protection (Notification and Notification Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/1677), a data controller with an annual turnover of £25.9 million and 250 or more members of staff, and public authorities with 250 or more members of staff, will have to pay initial and annual renewal notification fees of £500, while other data controllers will continue to pay a £35 fee (see Legal update, New data protection regulations introduce two-tier notification fee structure). Among other things, the ICO's guidance explains the criteria used to determine which tier a data controller is in; provides details of certain organisations, such as charities, which will always be deemed fall into the lower tier, regardless of their size or turnover; and explains the rationale for the fee changes.

Source: ICO guidance, Notification fee changes.